Our Lady of Regla, otherwise known as Our Lady of the Rule and The Virgin of Regla, is a Marian apparition of the Catholic Church venerated in various Hispanic countries such as: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Spain. In contrast to other Marian apparitions, she is typically depicted with dark skin.
| Our Lady of Regla Nuestra Señora de Regla | |
|---|---|
 Depiction of the Virgin of Regla in Havana | |
| Location | Andalusia, Spain |
| Date | 13th-century |
| Type | Marian apparition |
| Patronage | Chipiona, Spain Regla (Havana), Cuba |
| Attributes | Patron of sailors |
| Feast day | September 8 |
History
editAccording to Catholic legend, St. Augustine of Hippo, who lived in North Africa, had a revelation from an angel, who ordered him to carve an image of the Virgin Mary. The image was taken to Spain by his disciple Saint Cyprian, who ended up in Chipiona, where the Virgin of Regla is venerated. The image was hidden underground next to a fig tree following an invasion of Andalusia by the Saracens, and 5 centuries later, in the 13th century, an apparition pointed in the direction of where the image was hidden.[1] Her feast day, September 8, coincides with the Nativity of Mary, and after events of weathering and a fierce storm on the bordering Strait of Gibraltar, she became a patroness of seamen.[2]
Veneration
editSpain
editIn Spain, an image of the Virgin of Regla is located in the town of Chipiona, Andalusia. It is a wooden sculpture about 0.62 meters high in the Romanesque style, a typical trait of the Black Madonna.[2]
In other parts of Andalusia, the devotion to Our Lady of Regla is present, such as a church dedicated to her in the city of Huécija[3] and in a brotherhood in the city of Seville as a patron of bakers.[4] In the Canary Islands, there are various hermitages dedicated to her.
Cuba
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In Cuba, in the Regla municipality of Havana, a hermitage was built in 1687 by a pilgrim named Manuel Antonio dedicated to the Virgin, although it was later destroyed by a 1692 hurricane.[5] In 1694, the location was rebuilt upon, where an image of the Virgin of Regla was enthroned and donated by Pedro de Aranda.[6] Since its donation, Our Lady of Regla has become a much-devoted object, and was declared patron saint of Regla on December 23, 1714.[7]
In Santeria
editIn the syncretic Afro-Cuban religion of Yorùbá (originally known as Santería,) the Virgin is associated with Yemayá, the Yoruba orisha of the sea.[8]
Philippines
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Since 1735, the Catholic population of Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu has had significant devotion to Our Lady of Regla.[9] The image was initially taken to the city by Augustinian missionary Francisco Aballe (1694–1759).[10] After WWII, a new church was built under the patronage of Our Lady of Regla, with a new image build from polychrome hardwood.[11]
Legacy
editThere are various churches and hermitages dedicated to her, such as:
- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Regla (Chipiona, Spain)
- Hermitage of Our Lady of Regla (Pájara, Canary Islands)
- Hermitage of Our Lady of Regla (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands)
- Saint Mary of Regla de León Cathedral (León, Spain)
- Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Our Lady of Regla, and St Francis of Assisi (Chihuahua City, Mexico)
- Cathedral of Our Lady of Regla, Diocese of Baní, Santo Domingo
- Our Lady of Regla Orthodox Church (Miami, Florida)
References
edit- ^ "Virgin de Regla". University of Dayton. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ a b "Our Lady of Regla (Nuestra Señora de la Regla)". Interfaith Mary Page. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ Mier, Saskia (2012-07-25). "Huécija". Andalucia.com. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Besamanos the Virgen de Regla. Brotherhood of Bakers – Holy Week in Seville". Semana Santa. 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "La Virgen de Regla ya tiene corona". Libre Online (in Spanish). 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "La Virgen de Regla". Cuballama. 2016-08-25. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ Donestevez, Damian (2020-09-07). "The Virgin Regla: Patron Saint of the Town of Regla". Radio Havana Cuba. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Celebrate the Virgin of Regla!". New York Latin Culture Magazine. 2023-09-04. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Opon Church | Southeast Asia Digital Library". sea.lib.niu.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Nuestra Señora de Regla". Virgen Santa Maria (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-10-01.